A record-breaking 304 attendees heard economist Alan Beaulieu’s urgings to spend money and hire employees now at the National Fluid Power Association’s 2011 Industry & Economic Outlook Conference in the Chicago suburbs from August 15 – 17. Beaulieu, of the Institute for Trend Research, said the next recession will be medium-sized, and will occur at the end of 2013 and into 2014.

Student Poster Presentations (see photos below) gave attendees an opportunity to interact with engineering students. The IEOC hosted 31 students and 13 educators from 12 NFPA member schools. Together with NFPA and the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power, the students exhibited 32 posters, highlighting their work in fluid power education and research.

The event offered attendees presentations on micro and macroeconomic topics, fluid power market forecasts, and featured a Macro-Economic Speaker Forum – giving members a chance to ask the “experts” their most burning questions during this interactive session. This year’s conference was filled with presentations from guest speakers including:

Economics
Global Economic-An American Perspective, Alan Beaulieu, Institute for Trend Research (ITR)
Global Economics-A European Perspective, John Walker, Oxford Economics

Market Forecasts
Steel and Metals Industry Outlook, Robert DiCianni, ArcelorMittal USA
Heavy Truck Market Forecast, Eric Starks, FTR Associates
Construction Machinery Forecast, David Phillips, Off-Highway Research
Agriculture Machinery Forecast, Vincent Malanga, LaSalle Economics
Industrial Markets Overview, Cliff Waldman, MAPI, Inc.
Material Handling & Metalworking Machinery Forecast, Ken Kramer, Global Insight
Oil & Gas Industry Outlook, Ruchir Kadakia, CERA
Fluid Power Customer Markets Overview, Eli Lustgarten, ESL Consultants, Inc.
Fluid Power Industry Forecast, Jim Meil, Eaton Corporation

Special breakouts included:

• Macro-Economic Speaker Forum – Members were able to ask the “experts” their most burning questions during this interactive session closing out the first day’s program.

• Supply Chain Strategies Networking Breakfast – gave members the chance to talk openly at table discussions on issues related to supply chain strategies.

• Wednesday Lunch Presentation – Future Customer Needs & Technology Trends in the Construction Industry, Brian Rauch, John Deere.

National Fluid Power Association